Improvement in velocipedes



A. Q. ROSS. Velooipede.

N0..21o,271. Patented Nov.26 1s78.1

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

ABBoTT o. Boss, or CINCINNATI, oIIIo.l

IMPROVEMENT IN VELOCIPEDES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 210,271, dated November26, 1878; application filed March 26, 1878.

, To all whom it mag/.concerm Be it known that I, ABBOTT Q. Boss, ofCincinnati, Hamilton county, and State of Ohio, have invented anImprovement in Toy Trotting Horse and Carriage, of which the followingis a specication:

My invention relates to the construction of a toy carriage and horse inwhich the propulsion of the carriage is accompanied by motions of thelegs of the toy horse imitating a trotting action, so as to make itappear that the carriage is drawn by a trotting horse.

My invention consists, mainly, in pivoting the legs on the body of thetoy horse, and coupling the legs together and connecting or gear, ingthem to the propelling wheel or wheels of the carriage in such a mannerthat on propelling the carriage-the legs of the toy horse will oscillatein the proper way to imitate a trotting motion. Means are also providedto enable a child seated in the carriage to propel and steer it.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of one formof my invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the same. Fig. 3 illustratesmy invention in another form. The same letters of reference are used inthe designation of identical parts in all the figures. The body A oi'the vehicle is mounted on two wheels, B and B', one of vwhich is fast011 axle C for propelling-purposes, and the other loose to facilitatethe making of short turns. The bodyD ot' the toy horse is arrangedbetween the rigid thills E, which are lirmly secured to the body of thecarriage, and is securely fastened upon a cross-bar, E', which connectsand stift'ens the thills. This rigid connection ofthe thills near theirforward ends gives the frame -work supporting the horse great rigidity,and prevents shackling and unnecessary wear and tear.

The horse is supported, with the thills, upon a swiveling wheel, F, sothat its legs e will clear the ground. These legs are separately pivotedon the respective quarters of the horse, and either the fore legs or thehind legs are directly connected by rods G and G' to the respectivecranks c and c' of axle C, which cranks are set in opposite directions.The right fore leg is also connected by a cross-link, H, with the lefthind leg, and the left fore leg is similarly connected with the righthind leg by a cross-link, II'. These links may couple the legs, eitherdirectly or by way of the rods G and G', according as these rods extendfrom the 'fore legs or from the hind legs, to the axle.

In consequence of this construction and connection of the parts, thelegs of the toy horse will move with a trotting motion whenever thecarriage is propelled.

It is obvious that the carriage may be propelled and steered in variousways. I prefer the mode shown in Figs. 1 and 2,where the fore legs areprovided with rigid upright bars I, to the respective upper ends ofwhich stift' rods K are pivoted, reaching back to near the seat A' ofthe carriage, and terminating in handles K', to be taken hold of by thechild. By alternately pulling and pushing on these rods K the child willoscillate the fore legs of the toy horse, and thereby impart a rotarymotion to axle C through rods G and G', so as to propel the carriage',the hind legs of the horse being also oscillated at the same time in themanner already stated.

The swiveling wheel F constitutes the steerin g-wheel, which, when thecarriage is propelled by means such as shown in Fig. l, is operated bythe feet of the child controlling` a swivelingpost bar, L, rigidlyconnected with a bar, L', under the body of the carriage. The ends ofbar L' are connected by rods M' to the rigid steering-bar M on the frameof the swiveling wheel F.

In the form of my invention shown in Fig. 3 the child propels thecarriage by his feet, acting on the pedals or spools N on the hind legsof the toy horse. The same steering apparatus as shown in Figs. l and 2may be used in this case, except that bar L should be elevatedsuiiciently that the child may operate it by its hands.

It is clear that the four legs of the toyhorse may all be separatelyconnected with the axle of the carriage; also, that the legs of the toyhorse and the propelling-wheel of the carriage can be geared together inways very different from what I have shown and described, and still thesame effect produced in substantially the same way. It should thereforebe understood that my invention is not confined, primarily, to thespecific construction set forth.,

NVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

l. A. toy horse and carriage in which the Wheels of the carriage areconnected with the pivoted legs ofthe horse, substantially as specilied,so that the propulsion of the carriage will impart a trotting motion tothe legs of the horse.

2. In a toy horse and carriage, the combination, substantially asspecified, of the cranked axle ofthe propelling wheel or wheels, thepivoted legs of the horse, and suitable conmeeting-rods.

3. In a toy horse and carriage, the combination, substantially asspeeied, ofthe cranked axle of the propelling,` wheel or Wheels, thecross-linked pivoted legs ofthe horse, and suit ABBOTT Q. ROSS.

Witnesses JOHN E. JONES, J. L. WARTMANNE

